Lucas' POV
I savored the taste of her red soft lips. She might have thin lips but it tasted so good and somehow I could not understand it. My body responded to how it was supposed to be. I did not know she still owned a part of me...
It must have been a dream come true. To hold her close like this... To finally kiss her. I have loved her for so long that every relationship I had could not sum up to her. Crazy but the moment I laid eyes on her back when we were in high school, I already knew I would never be able to replace her in my heart.
For some, I might sound stupid but honestly, I don't care. I love her... So much... I wanted her so badly my whole body could not wait not to have her...
Was it wrong to desire her this much? Was it wrong to finally give ourselves a chance?
Was this even right?
But she was willing... Her eyes looked at me with longing... I saw it in her eyes. She wanted it, too.
Unbeknownst to her, Jasmine had already told me that she would be here. My sly cousin pushed me to come and accompany her since she recently broke up with her boyfriend of two years.
The hunky guy in the wedding, Chander, was a famous novelist, and I felt so insecure because I knew I could never measure up. I was with Lily at that time since I didn't have any other choice. I knew she would be there so I have to pay Lily, my lesbian friend, to accompany me that day. I thought somehow Christa would take notice of me... maybe even talk a bit. But all night, we avoided each other and with a hunky guy in her arms, I knew she would not take a second look at me.
"She is at her lowest point right now, Lucas, and I'm worried about her. Can you please go there?" Jasmine requested.
"Why me?" I asked. I didn't tell my cousin but I suddenly felt nervous seeing Christa again.
"You might make her feel better, " and she smiled knowingly. "This might be your chance."
I opposed the idea and yet, I still went. I had my key and tried to call out inside the house. Somehow, I panicked when did not hear her response but then, I heard a loud cry from outside. When I looked over the balcony, I saw her there, lying on the sand with a bottle on her hand.
I took three beers with me from the fridge and walked slowly towards her, trying not to interrupt her. I watched her for a while, feeling sorry for her, and somehow I considered Jasmine's words.
I did not know I held on to her for so long. She had already rejected me and I tried to forget her... even avoided her through the years. But fate had its own time, and though I wanted to erase her in my heart, I still wished someday she would give me a chance.
So pretending I was drunk and clueless that she was there, I talked loudly to catch her attention...
I didn't expect us to end here.
She, in my arms, buried under me. Her body changed throughout the years and I loved it more than ever. She still made me quiver at the sight of her and when she touched my face, I could never resist. She was perfect....
But I knew she would regret it... perhaps by tomorrow when she woke up completely from all of this. My heart would somehow get broken into pieces again... and I would never be able to recover from it.
But at least, we had this one summer night... this night where I felt I was the only man for him... Someone that made her happy for a while...
I expected it already... So I tried to escape before she even woke up. Though it was nice to have her in my arms, asleep on my chest, I did not want to have another rejection. In my mind, we could have this moment as a memory... just a memory...
Just like any other one-night stands I had been with...
Though she was more special than others and I would definitely keep it forever...
"Lucas..." she called as I shifted to pull away from her but she caught my arm. I turned as she opened her eyes and gazed at me. "Don't go."
I honestly did not know what to say. My throat felt dry all of a sudden. This was the very first time she asked me to stay...
"Christa..." and I sighed. She looked like she needed me. But how much? Was it just because she needed to forget? I did not want to be a rebound guy...
"Please... just stay for a while," she pleaded as tears formed in her eyes. "I need you right now."
Shit! How could I resist? I closed my eyes. I knew I was being irrational right now but like her, I needed her, too. But I wanted her more than to stay with me for a while. I wanted her to stay with me forever.
"Christa... what happened last night..." I could not get myself to say it. I knew it would be a lie to tell her it was just lust... just sex... because in my heart it was more than that.
She nodded. "It's okay.... I'm glad we did it... even for a different reason we both have..."
Should I tell her already? Was it the right time to tell her how much I missed her and that I still loved her?
Am I crazy?
"Lucas... I'm sorry for all the things I did to you before. I was mean and-"
I chuckled. She could not be serious, right?
"Seriously? We're going to talk about this after what happened last night?"
"Well... I... " and she slapped my chest. "Stop it!"
"What?" and I laughed. She still looked cute whenever she gets mad.
"Stop making fun of me!"
"I am not. It's just," and I pulled her closer to me then, I rolled on top of her. "Tell me honestly, Christa, do you really mean it? Are you really happy we did it or it's just the alcohol speaking?"
She looked through my eyes and placed her palm on my cheek.
"I want you, Lucas, and I don't regret anything."
"I don't want to be your rebound guy," and I was about to pull myself away when she snaked her arms around my neck, then, forced a kiss on me. I felt the electric current ignited in my whole body once again and I closed my eyes as I hungrily devoured her lips.
I am weak and it's all because of her. I let ourselves linger for a while...but then, my mind tried to reason with me.
So I let her lips go reluctantly. I tried to calm myself but it was no use. She still held that power that I could not resist but I have to tell her now...
"I love you... I still love you, Christa."
There, I said it. I looked for an answer in her eyes. In some way, I felt like a fool waiting there as she smiled at me.
"Christa... I know this sounds crazy but never did I ever felt anything with anyone like this but you. I tried... but I always failed. When I saw you at Jasmine's wedding, I wanted to have a chance... I miss you so much but I knew your heart still belongs to someone else. And I... I won't go if you will stay with me forever... But... I'm afraid you will just reject me again. God!" and I buried my head on her shoulder in embarrassment.
I heard her laugh and I lifted my head to look at her.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Cause you're still the sweetest, Lucas."
I frowned. "You're making fun of me now? I poured my heart out and you're laughing at me?!"
"I like you, Lucas. Weird but I just realized it last night that I surely missed you. For whatever reason you may call what happened between us, we can't deny we have a connection... and... I thank you for loving me... for still loving me even if I'm the meanest girl you've ever known."
"I never had forgotten you. I tried, believe me. I even had relationships but I could never get you out of my system."
Christa smiled. "You etched me in your heart, I guess."
"You could say that, " I replied, chuckling. "But I know you're still hurt... and I don't want to be just a rebound guy..."
"Then let's start over."
"How?"
"What do you mean how? We cannot have sex all the time, can we?"
I laughed and kissed her neck.
"I won't mind but it will both hurt us since we used each other's bodies for a different purpose. What we did last night was special for me, Christa."
"I know..." and I hear her let out a deep sigh.
"So what's next for us?"
"Let's go on a date."
"Already?"
"The heck Lucas! We already had sex. You confessed. Don't you want to date me?"
Now it's my time to laugh. Yes, it's weird but that's where it all started.
It had taken us one summer night of pleasure and craziness just to realize we were meant to be together.
After that night, we had more nights like that, and every year, I asked Jasmine to spare us the beach house for one night... to remember that my once unrequited love had finally come true.
"I love you, Christa, " I whispered. We were standing facing each other, gazing at those loving eyes.
It still felt like a dream and yet, I knew it was real.
She leaned closer to me, eyes twinkling in the moonlight and soon, she whispered...
"I love you, too, Lucas, " and smiling, just like any romantic movie scene, our lips sealed with a kiss...
A kiss of forever under the summer night sky.